Proof of Citizenship

What would I do if I had to prove my citizenship? I'd use my passport. What if, like more than half of U.S. citizens, I didn't have a passport?

Without a passport, an enhanced driver's license (or enhanced state ID card) will do. I don't have one of those, so I need to assemble the documents that will be required to get it.

I need to start by getting a copy of my birth certificate. I don't live in the county (or state) where I was born, so a trip to the courthouse is impractical. Fortunately, I can order one by mail.

If I was born abroad to U.S citizens, I could use a Consular Report of Birth Abroad. A copy can be obtained by mailing a notarized application form and $50.00. If I wasn't born a U.S citizen, but moved to the U.S. and became naturalized, my naturalization certificate would work. Most likely, I would have this in my possession. In fact, if I were a naturalized citizen I could probably use that certificate as proof of citizenship and just skip the enhanced driver's license. But I'm a citizen by birth, so I need to keep working on this.

My birth state has a website that offers a choice between an "informational copy" and a "certified copy." The informational copy will be stamped with the words "Informational, not valid to establish identity," so I need the certified copy. I can print an application form to fill out. I'll also need to fill out a sworn statement saying that I am who I am, and get it notarized.

The fee for the certificate is $29.00. I can get my application notarized at the UPS store three miles away for $10.00. That's $39.00 plus postage for the birth certificate.

I mail the notarized statement with a check for $29.00. According to the state website, average processing time is 12-14 weeks. Yikes!

My current name is not the same as the name on my birth certificate, so I'll need to document that. The DMV will accept a passport (which, for purposes of this story, I don't have) or a certified copy of a marriage or divorce decree or court-ordered name change. Let's assume I changed my name when I got married. Getting the marriage certificate is a lot like getting the birth certificate. This costs $17.00, plus another $10.00 for notarization. If I've been married more than once, I need copies of all marriage certificates. The processing time is still 12-14 weeks. Let's hope I figured this out and mailed this application at the same time as the birth certificate request.

If I had legally changed my name by court decree, a certified copy costs $40.00.

Next, I need a proof of identity, which could be a passport, military ID, driver's license, government employee ID card, or certificate of naturalization. I'll use my current driver's license (assuming they'll accept it with an outdated address).

I now need to two proofs of my current address. These could include a bank statement, utility bill, vehicle registration, professional license, home ownership document, or some other kind of official document (as listed on the DMV website), or postmarked mail. I can use a document in my spouse's name if I also show a marriage certificate. This seems like it should be easy,but I'm finding it strangely difficult. I've lived in this house only a short time, and so far the only mail I've received is junk mail for the previous occupant. My bank account is online, and I don't yet have a printable statement with this address. My driver's license is two addresses behind, because the DMV doesn't issue a new license when an address change is reported. Since I'm waitng 12-14 weeks to get those birth and marriage certificates, maybe by then I'll have something I can use.

So far, I have spent $66.00 plus postage. Add another $27.00 for each additional marriage, if applicable. Don't forget the fee my state charges for a new driver's license. Fees are different in different states, and not all states or counties make it easy to order documents online or by mail. Typically, the fee is the same if the documents are obtained at the courthouse or hall of records. Some states do not consider vital records (birth, marriage, death) to be public records, and may require more than just a notarized statement to prove someone is allowed to receive the necessary certificates.

Three months after I started, my birth and marriage certificates arrive. Now I'm ready to visit the DMV with my pile of documents. Since the election is in Novenmber, it would be great if I had started this in July or August - maybe earlier, depending on my state's voter registration deadline.

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Fees and procedures described above apply to the county and state where I was born. Some localities charge significantly higher fees or make it much more difficult to get copies of documents.

Note that, as of this writing, proof of citizenship does not always require an enhanced driver's license (aka Real ID), which is typically intended as identification for traveling by air. In many cases, a certified birth certificate is sufficient, provided the person's current name appearing on other forms of ID is exactly the same as on the birth certificate. Changes in spelling (Janice vs. Janis, Stephen vs. Steven) or use of an alternate form (Mike vs. Michael, Dave vs. David) may require additional documentation, which is not necessarily possible to obtain. Common sense is not admissable. People who change surnames upon marriage need to provide certified marriage and/or divorce certificates.

Some people do not have birth certificates. This may be the case for people who were not born in a hospital or clinic. (It can also be a problem for older people born in rural areas where record keeping was not meticulous, or in cases where public records have been lost or destroyed.) In the case of home births, counties or states allow registration of the birth, but sometimes people simply don't bother to register a home birth. For people who have reached adulthood without ever having a birth certificate, it may be possible to obtain a "delayed birth certificate". This requires sworn statements from witnesses, such as the mother or someone else who was present at the time. My grandfather was never able to get one, becase at the time he applied, his parents were dead, and the bureaucrats did not accept his sister as a witness.

A Social Security card is not considered proof of citizenship. According to the Social Security Administration, proof is one of these: Certificate of Naturalization, birth certificate (or equivalent), U.S. Passport or Passport Card.

For more information on proof of citizenship or acquistion of important documents, see these links:

   US Passports
   Real ID

 

The Latest Poll Shows Something Weird

Opinion polls are often designed to get the answers the pollster wants, by inserting bias into the questions. Similar questions can be asked in different ways. For example:

· Should Sally get a haircut?
OR
· Should Sally change her outdated hairstyle?

People responding to the poll may not even notice that it has been designed to reinforce the pollster's opinion. This pollster may have an agenda to make people think of Sally as old fashioned and unattractive.

· Should Sally wear more age-appropriate clothes?
OR
· Should Sally change her wardrobe?
OR
· Should Sally stop wearing dresses that look like potato sacks?

Even a person who likes Sally's look may find it hard to answer a simple yes or no to the biased questions. We see questions like this all the time in fake polls connected to politicians' fundraising efforts.

· Should schools avoid political bias in their lessons?
OR
· Should schools stop promoting the other party's extremist propaganda?

These polls never give you the chance to comment, "These are stupid questions."

 

Without Voter ID, This Happened

I used to live in a state that did not require ID to vote. Here's what happened.

The polling place was near my neighborhood. In some years, it was at a school or in a garage within walking distance. It was rare to wait more than 20 minutes, and often there was no wait. Upon arrival, I told the poll workers my name and address. They found me in the list of registered voters, and I signed my name next to my listing. Then I got my ballot and voted.

Would it have been possible for fraud to occur? Sure, if someone knew my name and address and got there before me (or if I didn't vote that time, which never happened) they could have pretended to be me. It would be very difficult to perform fraud like that on a large scale, because you would need a large number of of imposters successfully impersonating people who hadn't voted. It's a crazy idea.

 

Not a Serious Candidate

Pat Paulson (1927-1997) was an Emmy-winning comedian who satirically ran for President several times. His campaigns received light-hearted press coverage; the reporters knew he wasn't a serious candidate. Even so, he did get votes in some primary elections (both Democratic and Republican), beating some of the real but minor candidates. In 1996, he received 921 votes in the New Hampshire primary, coming in second to Bill Clinton (76,754 votes).

Everyone in the media knew that Paulsen's campaigns were performances, and he was not viewed as a serious candidate. Years later, when game show host donald trump announced his candidacy, I expected the media would give him the Pat Paulsen treatment. Instead, the networks promoted him as vigorously as they could, catapulting a New York real estate conman into national office. It was even more of a disaster than most people predicted, leading to the emergence of a strange, fascististic cult.

Election Integrity

Imagine you're back in the 8th grade and it's time to vote for class president. There are 35 students in the class. Bob gets 25 votes, and Jim gets 10. But the next morning, the teacher announces that Jim is the new president. When the students complain, the teacher explains that all the students in the 3rd row voted for Jim, and traditionally, votes from the 3rd row are worth triple the other votes. So the final count is now 25 for Bob and 30 for Jim.

That's the Electoral College.

Now it's the next year, the same two guys are running, and everyone in the 9th grade is prepared. They persuade most of the 3rd row students to vote for Bob. Bob gets 30 votes, and Jim gets 5. Even with the triple-vote system, it's 30 for Bob and 15 for Jim. But the next day, the teacher announces that Jim is the president. When the students complain, she explains that a new rule allows her to throw out votes she doesn't like. Her final count is 1 for Bob and 15 for Jim.

That's the new "election integrity" law Republican state legislatures are trying to impose.

Winning and Losing

There is no shame in losing an election. The way elections work is, someone wins, someone loses. Honorable people who lose an election typically concede or congratulate the winner, and they move on with their lives. There is shame in losing an election only if the person who lost is a bad sport who reacts childishly, refuses to concede, accuses the winner of cheating, throws tantrums, becomes obsessed, and just generally behaves like a crazy person. Losing an election doesn't make someone a Loser. Being a spiteful crybaby does.

Don't Let Them Stop You From Voting

Some political candidates fear that they cannot win an honest election. Rather than face the truth and accept defeat with grace, they proclaim that any result which doesn't go their way must be "rigged".

What they really mean is that they haven't been able to rig it in their own favor.

So, in desperation, they decide that their only chance is to prevent people from voting.

In some locations, bullies and thugs will be present at polling places, attempting to interfere with the right of citizens to vote. In particular, they will target people of color and people whose first language is not English. They may also target people they think might be poor, gay, Muslim, college students, or members of almost any ethnic minority.

They may do this simply by hanging around the polling place, possibly wearing fake badges to make themselves look official. They may call out insults to the people who are in line to vote. They may try to intimidate voters by taking pictures or videos of people coming and going from the polling place. They may try to conduct "exit polls" of people leaving the polling place.

Some may carry this further by challenging the eligibility of voters. They may try to claim that you are not properly registered, or that you are not who you say you are.

Some may try to use other kinds of scare tactics. For example, they may post flyers near polling places, claiming that people with outstanding parking tickets or unpaid child support can be arrested when they identify themselves to vote. This is not true!

Here's the good news: This kind of voter intimidation is uncommon. Most of us will not run into anything like this. Even though you may have heard a desperate candidate encouraging his supporters to do these things, in most places it will not happen.

What if something like this does occur in your town? Don't be intimidated. Voting is your right. The system cannot work unless everyone has a chance to participate.

Remember:

• If someone is trying to intimidate voters on election day, notify the poll workers. They know the rules and know how to deal with the problem.
• Before you go to the polling place, write down the phone number of your local election board. If you run into a serious problem, you can call them for help.
• You do not have to tell anyone how you plan to vote. If you are approaching a polling place and someone asks you how you are going to vote, ignore them and keep on walking.
• Some news organizations conduct exit polls so they can report the progress of the election. Some intimidators may conduct exit polls as well. You can participate in an exit poll if you want to, but you do not have to. You can simply say no thanks and keep on walking.
• If your eligibility to vote is in question, ask the poll worker for a provisional ballot.
• Do not get into an argument with anyone at or near the polling place. This will not solve the problem, and it could get you in trouble. Bullies and troublemakers should be ignored or reported to authorities.
• Don't let anyone scare you. If you feel a little bit scared, breathe slowly and deeply to calm yourself. Then vote.

 

Vote Today

Today is yet another special election in Los Angeles. On the ballot are six propositions relating to taxes and budgets, a runoff for city attorney, and community college district trustees. The polls will be open from 7:00am to 8:00pm. If you don't know where your polling place is, you can find it at http://www.lavote.net/.